My Soil Test Results Are In (And I’m So Relieved)
Last week I finally sent my soil off to be tested and spent the days in between wondering what the results would say. This week I’m so happy to share that I have really good soil! All it needs is some natural amendments and nutrients to support what I’m growing. I was hoping for a pH between 6.0 and 7.0, and I’m sitting just above 6.0—right in the sweet spot.
Soil health really does matter. You’ve probably heard “you are what you eat,” but it’s even more true than we realize. The food we grow is only as nourishing as the soil it’s rooted in. When our soil is full of minerals, organic matter, and living microbiology, our plants can actually take those things up and pass them on to us.
Healthy, living soil—full of bacteria, fungi, and organic matter—helps plants absorb essential minerals and vitamins (like iron, zinc, and B vitamins). A thriving soil microbiome also shapes the nutrient density of our food, introduces beneficial microbes into our environment, and supports our immune system and gut health. Nature has a beautiful way of showing us what it needs when we pay attention.
When we rely on chemical fertilizers and sprays, we strip the soil of those living systems. Over time that can reduce nutrients in our food, harm pollinators, and leave us with land that struggles to grow anything at all.
This first year, my focus is simple: document how things grow, build out the growing spaces, and put real thought into creating a living habitat rather than jumping straight into a market garden. I know I want this garden to eventually serve the community, but the only way to do that well—and sustainably—is to move at a slower, more intentional pace.
If you know how to read a soil test (especially the fine print), I’d genuinely love to hear from you. I understand the basics, but I’m still learning the deeper details and won’t pretend I have it all figured out.
Have you ever done a soil test? What were your results, and what did you end up focusing on?
From the Beds at Wild Bloom — Seed to Plate, one season at a time.
Serena
Comments